Saoirse Ronan is not giving the James Bond rumor mill much help when it comes to her husband, Slow Horses star Jack Lowden. Asked about growing speculation that Lowden could be the actor chosen to succeed Daniel Craig as 007, Ronan played down the subject rather than offering any hint that a deal has actually been made.
“Well, Gary Oldman thinks he’s James Bond,” Ronan joked during an interview with the Associated Press, referring to comments made by Lowden’s Slow Horses co-star. She added that Bond speculation is not exactly dominating conversation at home, saying, “The dog needs to be walked, the dinner needs to be made.”
The response is amusing, but it is not confirmation. Despite months of casting speculation around Lowden, Amazon MGM Studios has yet to publicly name the next James Bond.
Gary Oldman helped send the rumor into overdrive
Lowden’s chances became a much bigger talking point in September after Oldman discussed the Bond search during an interview with Canada’s The Morning Show.
Oldman said Lowden had been rumored to be on the shortlist and suggested that the producers had already made their choice, while adding that his “fingers are crossed for Jack.” That was quickly interpreted in some corners as a possible indication that Oldman knew more than he was saying.
He later clarified the situation at the Toronto International Film Festival. Oldman said he had heard a rumor that a new Bond had been selected but did not know who the actor was, making it clear that his support for Lowden should not be treated as inside confirmation.
That distinction is important because Lowden is only one of several actors who have been linked to the role. Names including Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Harris Dickinson have also circulated during the casting process. Variety previously reported that stage actor Tom Francis had auditioned as well.
What is actually confirmed about the next James Bond?
Amazon MGM confirmed in May that auditions for the next 007 had begun, with veteran casting director Nina Gold involved in finding Daniel Craig’s successor. The studio said at the time that “the search for the next James Bond is underway,” while making clear that it would not discuss individual candidates during the process.
The creative team, however, is already taking shape. Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve will direct the 26th Bond movie, while Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is writing the screenplay. Amy Pascal and David Heyman are producing.
Lowden certainly has one obvious advantage in the conversation: audiences have already seen him operate inside the spy genre through his acclaimed role as River Cartwright in Apple TV’s Slow Horses. But that makes him an appealing candidate, not a confirmed Bond.
There could even be an amusing Ronan-Lowden twist if the casting ultimately goes his way. Ronan previously said she was “dead serious” about wanting to play a Bond villain and was interested in exploring a younger female antagonist.
For now, though, the safest conclusion is much simpler: Ronan knows people are talking about her husband as James Bond, but she has given no indication that the tuxedo is officially his. Until Amazon MGM makes its announcement, Lowden remains a contender rather than Daniel Craig’s confirmed successor.
